DISCLAIMER!!!! Buffy, Giles, Xander, Willow, and all the characters, from "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" aren't mine. They belong to Joss and Mutant Enemy. I'm jealous, but what can I do? All other characters, and the story itself are the sole property of ME, and my imagination. Please send all comments on the story to ME! Thank you and come again!
Maria du Maurier watched as the zombies began unloading the crates from the truck. They moved like robots, going back and forth between the truck and the unloading area of the meat packing plant. They made almost no noise at all. I guess dead people don't have much to say to each other, she thought as she leaned back against a wall, smoking a cigarette.
The walking dead ignored her as they transferred the large crates of supplies from the truck to the plant. Their eyes never blinked or wandered. They worked with a single-mindedness that Maria had never seen before. Damn things are better then Colombian peasants the woman mused. Moreover, I don't have to worry about them stealing the product.
Maria had been working the drug trade since she was 19, starting out as a run of the mill pusher on the streets of New Orleans, and working her way up to a major player in the international drug business. She was known as one of the best riggers in the trade. Her reputation of setting up processing plants and storage depots in plain sight of the authorities, while still keeping it from being busted was almost legendary. That reputation is also what got her this job, setting up a major drug artery in Sunnydale. Only a few hours away from LA, the small town seemed to be the perfect location for a drug depot. "Except for all the bloody, vampires!" she muttered angrily as she threw her cigarette into a sewer.
Maria had discovered Sunnydale's little quirk almost by accident. She had been checking the town out about 6 months ago, looking for a safe location for the depot, when she had come upon a group of vampires attacking a blond-haired girl in the park. She had watched as the girl killed three of the vampires before the others had run off. After some digging, Maria had found out that the town was practically infested with the undead. She had also found out that the girl she had seen was named Buffy Anne Summers. After talking to some of her more superstitious contacts in New Orleans, she discovered that Sunnydale was smack down on top of what her contacts had called a Hellmouth. Living in New Orleans, she did not have trouble believing that. She had, after all seen vampires in many of the cities where she had worked.
The rigger had gone to her Colombian employers, advising them to pick another location for their operation. They had refused, telling her that vampires would not be a problem. Then they had introduced her to Charles Cristo Dumas. He had assured the heads of the cartels that he would be able to neutralize the vampires as a threat and supply the cheapest labor in existence. They had agreed, and so here she was, working with a voodoo priest, using zombies for labor and security, worrying about who will ruin the operation first, cops, vampires, or a seventeen year-old girl who slays vampires. I just love a challenge, she thought sarcastically.
Maria detached herself from the wall and walked past the zombies that were unloading the last of the crates. The meat packing plant was perfect for the operation. The huge refrigerators that resided here were ideal for storing cocaine and heroin while it awaited transport to LA and other cities on the coast. It had been cleaned-out of all unnecessary equipment, and was now spacious enough that tables could be set up to cut the drugs for distribution. By the time the first major shipment arrived next week, Maria was positive that the plant would be up and running. "As long we can avoid any unexpected vampire attacks, eh?" she told the zombies, who were now finished with the unloading and were standing still, awaiting further commands.
Rolling her eyes in frustration, Maria took off her coat and walked over to one of the crates. As she passed, she saw her reflection in an old mirror. From the side, the most noticing thing about Maria were her legs. They were long, and very well defined by the tight leather pants she was wearing. Her skin was the color was lighter then Charles, but only slightly. It had a brown hue that revealed her mixed ancestry of Spanish and French. Her hair was a deep black that almost appeared blue; it hung past her shoulders freely. Maria's body was built like a swimmer's, long and lithe. Her arms were similar to her legs, in that they were strong and defined. Her black T-shirt was filled out nicely by her small, but firm breasts. For all her physical beauty, Maria's face showed people who she was. Her deep brown eyes were penetrating; they seemed to switch from showing hunger to hostility at regular intervals. Her chin was strong and permanently set in an arrogant thrust. Her large red lips were usually set in a frown or a scowl, depending on the occasion. Her face showed the world that she was a woman who was used to getting what she wanted and didn't let anyone stand in her way.
She spent a moment admiring her reflection before turning to the unmoving zombies. "Ok, start setting up the tables." She said roughly.
For a moment, the zombies just looked at her, not moving. After a moment, they began to move toward the disassembled tables in the corner. Maria watched them as they worked, again surprised that they did what she ordered them to do. Her gaze left the zombies and settled on the bracelet on her upper arm. That's why they obey me, she thought, because part of his power is in this thing.
Charles had given it to her, telling her to always where it when left alone to work with the zombies. When she asked why, he had told her: "So they don't eat you my dear." His voice had been condescending in a way that Maria hadn't been forced to listen to since she was a child.
Maria's blood boiled at the memory. Once his services aren’t necessary, I think I will give our esteemed voodoo master on how to talk to a lady.
Although her lips were still set in a frown, in her mind, Maria smiled. She picked up a crowbar and started toward one of the many crates.
Willow Rosenburg was preparing a small sandwich when she heard a knock on the front door. Can't be Oz, it's only six-thirty, she said as she looked down at her watch, I told him to pick me up at seven.
Willow walked to the front door and opened it. "Oh! Hi Xander." The red-haired girl said, surprised to see her oldest friend in the doorway. He looked nervous. "I thought you might have been Oz."
Xander looked at his friend, shuffling his feet. "Oh, well if you're waiting for Oz, we can talk later." He turned to leave.
"No!" Willow said a little to loudly. Xander turned to back to look at her. "I mean, Oz won't be here for a little while. We can talk." She looked up at the boy she had had a crush on for most of her life. "I mean, if you want to."
Xander looked down at his feet. He stared at them for a full minute, almost as if he were searching for an answer that was supposed to be there but wasn't. "If it isn't a problem then, Ok." He said finally. Willow moved out of the way and let him through.
Xander had been alone with Willow about a million times, but she noticed that he seemed preoccupied with something. He couldn’t seem to find a comfortable position on the couch. "So," she said after Xander failed to say anything. "When is Cordelia picking you up?"
"She's not." Xander's voice was tinged with anger. "She's going to the Bronze with Harmony and the Brat Pack. She's going to meet us there."
An "Oh" was all that Willow managed to come up with as a response. What's wrong with him? Why can't he look at me? Xander hadn't looked at her for over three seconds straight since he had sat down.
Xander finally looked at Willow after he had run out things to look at instead of her. "So are you excited about tonight?"
Willow couldn't help but smile. "Yeah. 'Our Lady Peace' is supposed to be really good live! Oz says that their guitarist is great!"
"Yeah, plus it'll be fun to watch Buffy and Eddie try to sit there without hitting each other." Xander grinned, but quickly lost it when he stared at his friend for a few seconds. "Um, you're probably wondering what I wanted to talk to you about."
The young hacker gave a half shrug. "Well, you know, kinda." She said softly.
Xander looked down at his shoes one last time. "You know that I've kinda been avoiding you this week." He said when he looked up. "You know, when we were alone. Without Buffy or the others."
"Yeah, a little." Willow said hesitantly, not wanting to worry her friend. "But I wasn't hurt or anything. I just guessed that you had, you know, stuff to think about."
"Yeah, stuff." Xander said under his breath and sighed. "The reason I've been avoiding being with you alone is, that recently, like just this week, I'd started to see you…"
Willow knew what he was going to say. Will, I've started to see you differently. She had waited along time to hear Xander say them to her, and now it was about to happen, right here in her living room. I can't let him say it. She realized. If I do, it'll change everything.
It seemed that Xander himself was having trouble saying what he wanted. He kept stumbling over his words, talking in circles. "You see, I realized that…well, ever since last week…you see, it happened on the way back from the cemetery…I'm over it now, but at the time…"
Willow put her hand on her friend's arm. "It's ok Xander." She told him gently. "Whatever was bothering you, just forget it, it doesn't matter."
Xander looked deep into Willow's eyes, searching them for something that even he didn't know. "It does matter, Will." He said softly, his gaze never leaving her face. "I've been so blind that I didn't even realize that you were a real girl, not just 'Will, my best bud." His hand reached out for her face. "Will, I can see you clearly now. I'm not blind anymore."
Willow had almost stopped breathing. She couldn't believe what Xander was saying. She looked at him, staring into his eyes, watching as his hand rose slowly to touch her face. Ohmygodohmygodohmygodohmygod…he's going to kiss me! Her memory flashed back to the end of the summer. Xander wiping ice cream from her nose, his face so close, his eyes looking deep into her own. It seemed to her then that Xander was going to kiss her then too, before a vampire attacked them and ruined it all. But there are no vampires now; it's just the two of us… Willow closed her eyes and slowly brought her head down to meet Xander's.
Chapter 11